Saddles for a Mountain Bike

[JackRabbitSlims]

i'm a roadie who has switched to mtb for the next 6 - 9 months

i have a stock scott spark full sus and the saddle is rubbish as is the post

on the road bike i like and use fizik saddles
arione & aliante

i am logging longer rides of 4-6 hours as my next event is 85kms mtb
my @rse is not comfortable in the last hour

questions
ok to use my preferred road saddle on the mtb
if not any recommendations on a good mtb saddle for enduro & xc rides


i am a fan of thomson bars stems & posts
i'll swap out the stock post with a masterpiece which could improve the comfort

please
i welcome your thoughts opinions suggestions and theories

in advance
many thanks

 

[King Boonen]

Charge spoon is a very comfortable throne, I use them on all my bikes.


You can use your favourite road saddle fine as long as it's a reasonably hard wearing and you can get out over the back wheel with it.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

mr boonen
thanks for the reply

it's always good to go with what you know
hence my preference for the fizik

hmmmm
the aliante is a longish saddle
i might look at something a bit shorter

 

[jmdirt]

I used Selle Italia Flite (a "roadie" saddle) since '92 on all of my bikes. Every time I tried something else, I ended up back on a Flite. I ride dirt 95% of the time. I developed an ischial-femoral impingement this spring so I'm riding a Fizik Gobi because its very narrow, and doesn't aggravate my issue. Its not as comfortable as the Flite overall, but it allows me to ride longer. That's the long answer for ride what feels good, there really isn't such thing as road and mountain saddles.

Yah, the Scott (Syncros/Velo) saddles are odd feeling for me.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

jmdirt
thanks for the reply

yes i have seen the fizik gobi which has piqued my interest

others around me a banging on about prologo
thoughts?

i have history with the selle italia brand but moved on a while back

when i search for saddles they do differentiate between road mtb etc on the specific sites
perhaps marketing bs
perhaps not

my endurance long ride is sunday
i'll try the aliante on the mtb and see how it goes

my gnarly hangtime aerial crazy schitt days are well behind me
comfort
& getting to the finish line in one piece are the priority

once again
thanks for your contribution
appreciated

 

[Archibald]

I began on the dirt, and did try the Gobi - excellent saddle, but I prefer a cut-away saddle.
Currently have the SLR XC gel flow (sella italia) on the mtb - hardtail for xc

fwiw, I also use the flite gel flow on all my road bikes

 

[King Boonen]

Oh, quick point. If you're riding enduro and not as poor as I am you'll have a dropper post. In that case the length and width of the saddle at the back becomes much less of an issue.

If, like me, you don't have a dropper then it is an issue riding the really steep stuff as you need to get out behind it and back over it.

 

[jmdirt]

Selle Italia stopped making the original Flite when they introduced the new gen Flite. I must not have been the only one who didn't like the new one because they started offering the original again after a few years. It was called the Classic, then Vintage, and now I think they call it the 1990.

A word of caution about the Gobi: it is less comfortable for me in every way except that it doesn't aggravate my impingement. I've heard that they don't review well either, but when the ortho recommended 'a narrow seat like the Gobi' I got one.

The dirt specific saddles usually have abrasion resistant sides, or even edge bumpers to protect the seat when it hits the dirt. What I meant by there really isn't road or dirt saddles, is that comfort is the number one priority for me hence me using a road saddle for 25 years. Hopefully I will be able to get back to a Flite soon!

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

no dropper post for this kid

i am shelling out plenty of $$ as it is

upgrading to da 9000 groupset
upgrading the mtb to full xt plus other personal preferences
retro fitting my bianchi pista ss with old skool campy
new road and mtb wheel sets in the pipeline

all slowly slowly
piece by piece

satisfying though

 

[Archibald]

Re:

no dropper post for this kid

i am shelling out plenty of $$ as it is

upgrading to da 9000 groupset
upgrading the mtb to full xt plus other personal preferences
retro fitting my bianchi pista ss with old skool campy
new road and mtb wheel sets in the pipeline

all slowly slowly
piece by piece

satisfying though

if you're wanting to do the saddle testing on the cheap, then go ebay - get your decent used saddle and try it out. Then just re-sell it. Once you find the one you like, then get that one new.
I went through about 8 saddles this way and even managed to make some dosh on a few.
You'll find quite a few that will be "I bought this but it didn't work for me" saddles - ie; only a handful of K's on them and pretty much brand new

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

^^
good option

i hadn't considered that

we have a similar online trading site here in nz
not ebay
but the next best thing

aliante will get a good test ride tomorrow